Most people are familiar with the two types of IRAs, Traditional and Roth. Briefly: traditional IRAs are both tax-deductible (you don’t pay income tax on the money that’s contributed, up to an annual limit) and tax deferred (you don’t pay taxes on the earnings inside the IRA), but you pay income tax on all the […]

Following the shocking death of Prince, folks across the country were equally shocked to learn that the musical genius died without a Will or Trust in place to deal with the distribution of his fortune and valuable music catalogue when he passed away. Dying without a Will in his home state of Minnesota now means […]

When making an estate plan and Last Will and Testament, many people have a difficult time deciding who should be the Executor of their estate. Oftentimes they will consider naming Co-Executors—two or more people who serve as executor of the estate. Each Co-Executor named in your Last Will and Testament will have authority over your […]

Last month, we talked about California’s new Revocable Transfer on Death Deed, which will become available on January 1, 2016. This is a new law, so many of the details have yet to be determined, but based on what we know now here are a few reasons you might not want to use one: 1. No Medi-Cal Protection. […]

Many grandparents wish to leave a legacy behind for their grandchildren. However, they may run into some issues if those children are underage. A Bay Area Wills and Trusts attorney can help you determine what the best options are for leaving assets to underage beneficiaries, whether those assets are held in a Will or Trust, […]

In California, most new laws take effect on January 1, so the beginning of the year is always a good time to look at some of the new laws that may affect you this year. Below are a few highlights. Transfer on Death Deeds. I wrote previously on some of the pros and cons of this new law, which […]

A previous post looked at some of the most common business entities that a Santa Clara business planning lawyer will recommend for clients. From the simplicity of a sole proprietorship to the complexity of an S corporation, that piece shared some advantages and disadvantages of each entity when it comes to implementation, accountability, and taxation. […]

You may have heard the news recently that another employer has been ordered to pay back wages to people it had classified as interns (and therefore not paid). Fenox Venture Capital had to pay over $330,000 in back wages, but this is just the latest in a long series of claims against employers who hire interns and don’t […]

National Health Care Decisions Day is on April 16th, and it’s an important reminder for every adult to begin having difficult conversations with loved ones about their most private wishes for medical and end-of-life care. Far too many people assume that their families would make the choices they would want in an emergency. Yet every […]

Last fall, the governor signed California’s “End of Life Option Act,” making California the fourth state to pass such a law. However, due to a quirk of legislative procedure, it was uncertain until recently exactly when the new law would take effect. Due to the recent end of the “extraordinary session” of the legislature, we […]